I made many great companions
by Beanpot
Summary: A follow up to my story, Tomorrow I will Open the Door Again. Cam, Sam, Teal'c, Cam's grandmother - and yet another hospital.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own them at all...**  
**

**Through the peaks and twisty canyons, I made many great companions**

The call from his mom had come while Cam had been breaking things in Sam's lab, her voice tight and raw as she explained how Gran'ma had had heart palpations while at the Fireman's Chicken dinner fundraiser and while she was fine, she wasn't _fine_. When he'd finally hung up, Sam had booked flights for the two of them to fly out the next morning. The team was on stand down as Sam prepared to leave for Atlantis and he was pretty sure Landry wouldn't mind if he took some time.

When Sam picked him up at oh-dark-thirty, Cam was surprised to see Teal'c in the front seat. As Cam climbed into the backseat, Teal'c said, "I wish to pay my respects to FrancisMitchell. I have been worried as she has yet to play her next move in our online Scrabble game."

Cam tried to squeeze his legs into the miniscule space left behind Teal'c seat. "Whatever, man. Just bring the rest of the band as well – we can paint the town red and get tossed in jail for a night."

"Daniel said he'd bring Vala if we aren't back by the weekend. She's excited to meet the rest of your family," replied Sam as she shifted the car into reverse and completed the three point turn that took them towards the airport.

"Fantastic," mumbled Cam as he tried to curl up for a few extra moments of sleep. "Good thing the local constable is a cousin. She's gonna love Vala." The others laughed gently before silence filled the car. Cam kept his forehead pressed to the cool window as he let the motion of the car lull him back into a restless sleep, only to be woken when they arrived. He tried to sleep on the plane as well, but he hated flying in a plane he didn't control and he noticed the tension in Teal'c shoulders as well. One day, he'd have to figure out just who had faked the appropriate documents for the Jaffa to get past security.

A random cousin picked them up at the airport; Cam was pretty sure the kid was the offspring of his cousin John, but he couldn't quite remember as they were all starting to look alike. Once at the family homestead, he was forcibly moved from hug to hug, along with Sam, who had spent many a holiday there. Teal'c also found arms wrapped around him in greeting, a move he accepted with grace. At one point, a screaming baby was shoved into his arms, which took one look at the Jaffa and stopped mid wail – either from fear or fascination.

Cam found his mom in the kitchen along with half of the family. Yet another cousin once said the kitchen at Gran'ma's the "room of requirement" as it seemed to grow every time someone entered. His mom spotted him from across the room and pointed to the back porch with a wooden spoon dripping with sauce. Through the windows, he could see his dad rocking on the porch and surrounded by his Cam's Uncles. Between them stood an empty bottle of Gran'ma secret family recipe moonshine - secret as no one ever spoke of it, but they all bragged about it when it was sold at the 4th of July picnic.

By the time he maneuvered through the kitchen (hey Aunt Ellen, I've missed you too; Missy – you're braces came off! I'll polish off the baseball bat; George – you look good, prison agreed with you; Jamal - I hear you're becoming a preacher man), Sam and Teal'c were already on the porch and his dad's oldest brother Bobby was speaking, "Now, little lady, this here is Mitchell Moonshine, a mite strong for your delicate constitution, but if you think you can handle it, I'll give you a nip."

Uncle Bobby handed Sam a mug half filled with the whiskey as she rolled her eyes. Teal'c looked ready to break Bobby in half, but it was a long running joke dating back to the first time he'd said the same thing to Sam and she'd tossed the drink back and asked for more. Uncle Bobby had a bit of crush on Sam from then on and they repeated the conversation every time she came to visit. Cam stood in the doorway a bit before announcing, "Uncle Bobby, you be careful with Sam there – she just made full bird and outranks us all now."

The men on the porch stood up to salute and Cam's dad pulled her in for a hug and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Proud of you kid. Jacob would've been as well."

"Thanks, Frank. How's your mom?" asked Sam as she sipped from her mug, which became her mug when she'd painted her name on it one Christmas. It was how you knew you were a part of the family – you got your own whiskey mug in an incredibly involved ceremony that involved a tiara from someone's Miss Tobacco Princess days.

"She's good – going to be happy to see y'all. Especially Mr. Teal'c here. She's become quite fond of your email exchanges and phone calls." Cam watched his dad peer at Teal'c over his mug. The look was friendly yet wary. No one in the family really quite understood the friendship that had developed between the two, the perceived age difference being the main reason. If they knew that Teal'c was actually older than Gran'ma by decades and was the former first prime of a false god intent on the annihilation Earth, the whole fact that Cousin Annie had moved to a commune in San Francisco and became a vegetarian would've been old news.

Cam pushed off from the frame of the door to corral his teammates. "We should probably head over to see her; who's with her now?"

"No one. Said she needed a nap and sent us on our way," his dad said, exchanging somewhat sheepish looks with his brothers.

"Oh please, Frank. She banned you all from even stepping foot on the hospital grounds because you were scaring the doctors and hogging her TV," Cam's mom said as she joined them on the porch. "Take our car, Cam. She's been asking for you." Cam pressed a kiss to her forehead as he took the keys. His teammates followed him to the car, each having to divest themselves of a kid before they getting in.

The drive to the county hospital was about 30 minutes down windy back-roads that made Cam wish for his Mustang. He hadn't grown up here, but he spent enough summers with the Mitchell family to pick out landmarks. Long-fallowed tobacco fields jutted against newly built sub-divisions that gave the feel of community with none of the pesky people interaction. The ride was quiet, each passenger wrapped in their own thoughts, although Sam kept glancing at him every few minutes with a look of concern and nervously picking at her fingernails. He finally reached over and grasped her hand in his and said in an exasperated way, "You keep doing that and Molly's gonna whip out her manicure kit for you. You'll be heading to Atlantis with purple fingernails with pink hearts on 'em"

Sam squeezed his hand and held it until they pulled into visitor parking lot at the hospital. A few quick questions at the volunteer desk ("Hello, Miss Cindy – yes we're here to see my grandmother. Your granddaughter is recently divorced? Never liked the jerk in the first place.") and they found themselves standing outside her room. Cam just stood there, frozen with a fear that he hadn't felt since he woke up in a hospital bed unable to move a thing. Except that fear had been erased when he felt the smooth hand of his gran'ma brush his brow and whisper, "It'll be okay, my love. You are stronger than this and I love you."

The same voice that whispered words of love came through again, but much stronger and little angry, "Cameron Mitchell, I know you're out there. Get your tush in here and bring my girl and that tall, handsome man with you."

"Well she sounds fine," said Sam as she walked past him with a grin. Once in the room, she maneuvered around the cascade of flowers that filled the air with the cloying sweetness of hot house roses and wilting carnations. Sitting up in the bed, dressed in a faded yellow house coat and hands busy with knitting needles, Francis Mitchell looked like a fairy godmother out of a twisted fairytale book. She had placed one of the many flowers in her hair and applied a bit of lipstick (after all company was coming), and she looked bored out of her mind.

Hours later, with their voices hoarse from telling stories, Sam and Cam slipped out of the room to go for a coffee and food run. As they stood in the elevator, Cam turned to her and said, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was trying to get some alone time with Teal'c."

"It's the white streak in his hair. Women love that sort of thing."

"Not helping, Sam."

"I'm dying, Teal'c," Frances said, her voice calm and her eyes steady as she looked at the large man seated next to her.

"We all will perish at some point, FrancisMitchell. I do not think you will die today." replied Teal'c. She rolled her eyes and rested the urge to hit him with a pillow.

"Of course not today, ya goose. I just mean my time is coming sooner that I thought and truth be told, I'm angry. I have things to do; only recently got that book _Thousand Places to See Before You Die _and the girls and I were all set to go on a road trip to do just that. I bought a new hat and everything. Are you laughing at me, young man?" she snapped as she saw the slight tilt of Teal'c's mouth.

"Never, my friend. There are times when I see a lot of you in ColonelMitchell and it makes me glad."

Francis leaned closer to Teal'c and spoke in the loud whisper of mock conspiracy, "Don't tell anyone, but he always was my favorite." She settled back into her pillows before continuing, "Cameron's always reminded me a bit of my late husband, Henry. You two would've gotten along like gangbusters. But yeah, they are so alike that it makes me smile and makes my heart ache a bit, all at the same time. Henry would've been so proud of him – Medal of Honor holder in our family after all! Course the medal would've been nothing but a shiny bit of metal if Cameron hadn't lived – don't tell anyone I said that, though. Having him here makes me miss Henry a little less though, but oh I miss him so. Do you miss your wife, Teal'c? I know you said she died."

He stared at her for a few moments before answering, "I do. But I have had other loves as well and I miss them all in different ways."

Francis nodded in agreement. "The secret of the very old is that life is meaningless with out the great loves of your life – and they come in so many shapes and ways. Henry was the love of mine, but my soul mate was always my best friend Lorraine. My Molly called us hetero lifepartners, whatever that silly nonsense means, but it holds true. I've a deep and abiding love for the many companions I've met during my years and I am ever grateful for their love as well." She paused for a second to rearrange a pillow digging into her back. She then reached out to lace her fingers through Teal'c's.

They sat that way for awhile as Francis slowly drifted off for a moment. She knew Cam and Sam would be gone for awhile, her boy was a mite upset at seeing her in here and Sam would take the time to calm him down and distract him. After awhile, she turned to Teal'c, whose eyes were closed in deep mediation, and asked, "Tell me about some of your great loves, Teal'c."

With eyes still closed, he said, "I cannot tell you of most, but I can tell you that not long ago, I dreamed of a great love with whom I grew old. I believe we were happy and then I awoke with only the barest traces of memory."

"That sounds like a story that needs warm cookies and cold milk, my friend. My lord, will this headache ever go away." Francis's pressed the heel of her hand into her forehead, hoping the pressure would eliminate the flecks of light she'd been seeing for the last few hours. The pain from the heart palpitations had eased, but her shoulders were still locked from worrying about how her family would handle everything. She adored them all and while her children were bouncing their own grandchildren on their knees, she still couldn't quite let go of the notion they all needed her to fix things. She heard Teal'c stand up and felt his large hands grasp her neck and press in - right on a knot that tightened then released all of the pain.

"Do that again, Mr. Teal'c and we may have to move you to top of my great loves list." She felt his silent chuckle through his hands. Then they were gone as he pulled open the drawers in the cubby next to her.

"FrancisMitchell, I do have one memory from the last love that is clear. I know this used to help her headaches dissipate and if you will allow me…" his voice trailed off and Francis nodded in encouragement before moving up the bed a little bit.

Cam sipped on the coffee from the cafeteria and grimaced slightly. Hospital coffee was the same no matter where in the world one bought it – tepid as bathwater and just as flavorful. Sam was sipping from a bottle of water as they'd gone for a long walk and the air had been thick with heat. He was feeling calmer and ready to tease his gran'ma for wrapping the whole staff around her fingers. As they went to enter the room, he felt Sam grasp his wrist and pull him to a quick stop. They both stood and stared at the scene in front of them.

"Sam, is Teal'c brushing my gran'ma's hair?"

"Yes." She paused and took a long drink. "Do you think he'll braid it?"

"Shut up, Sam."

"It's okay, Cam. They're friends and it's oddly kind of sweet."

"I get it – I'm just trying to figure out whose honor I'm going to have defend here," he said, sort of wishing he had a camera.

Sam echoed his thoughts when she said, "I wish I had a photo of that, I'd love to take it with me. They're two of my favorite people." She looked at up at Cam and nudged his side. "She's fine, Cam. The doctors said she can go home soon and that she's pretty healthy. Just needs to take it easy."

Cam nodded slowly before saying softly, "She's okay this time, but one time she won't be."


	2. Chapter 2

_I wrote this a while ago as a sort of coda to the previous. Not really related, but it makes sense as another Chapter. _

Comfort and Joy - a Coda.

Frances Mitchell stood in her kitchen reheating a pot of chicken corn chowder. Outside, the fall air was painting lacey frost on her windows. It was an unusual early cold snap for November, but it fit her fitful mood.

After her spell in the hospital, her beloved Henry's ingrate sister had insisted on taking over Thanksgiving as Frances was still weak. Frances had wanted to shove the little gnome into the river, but she resisted the urge as she had for fifty years and just smiled and agreed it was the best for the family. She would never admit it to anyone, but having the many dozens family members running through her house was beginning to make the bones of her house and body rattle a bit.

Yet now, a week or so before Thanksgiving, she was lonely. Wendy, Molly and Jamal would always come over a week before to start the dough for pies and polish the good silver. Frances knew they weren't at that ingrate's house, but they weren't with her and she found she missed the slow build up to chaos.

It certainly didn't help that she could feel the cold seeping into her bones, yet another remainder that her time on earth was winding down. "Now, Franny, snap out of it. No use fussing over what's done," she mumbled to herself as she poured her soup into one of the misshapen bowls Cousin Ronny had made during his pottery phase. She loved the soup bowl as Ronny had dropped it before placing it in the kiln and smashed a lip down to form a perfect place for balancing bread.

She placed the bowl on her kitchen table and lit the candle shoved into a candlestick one of the grandsons had made in shop class. Frances knew most people these days watched TV while they ate, but she refused to be uncivilized even if she was alone. Besides, her daddy always told her to set an extra place in case a hungry soul or Jesus stopped by for a meal. It would be embarrassing if they found her watching reruns of MASH instead of eating at a table like the lady she pretended to be.

Napkin unfolded in her lap, Frances slowly sipped her soup, pondering how to tweak the recipe yet again. Maybe leeks instead of onions. A touch of sherry. One last swipe of the bread around the bowl and she pushed back from the table to rinse her dishes out. The clunk the bowl made as it hit the bottom of the sink was louder than normal and she stared at it confusion before she realized the sound had come from a car door closing outside.

"A little late for visiting", she said as she tightened the knot on her flannel robe. "Hope nothing is wrong." Frances made her way to the front door, slightly hoping something was a little wrong, nothing serious of course, but she was a mite bored and could do with some excitement. God love her family, but they were taking the "no stress" order from her doctors to mean "no gossip, no drama, no mischief". If she didn't have some excitement soon, she was going to be forced to talk Lorraine into streaking through the town square like they had done back when they were knee high to a grasshopper.

A non-descript car sat in her driveway and four people were climbing out of it, seemingly in the midst of an intense discussion. A smile danced across her lips and she flung open the door to yell out to the person on the driver's side, "Cameron Mitchell, what is the meaning of this? I'm not dressed for company!"

"Granma, you'd outshine Miss America even in your house dress," her beloved grandson yelled back at her as he walked towards her, arms opened wide.

"Well, a lady is always a lady no matter her outward appearance," she replied as she stepped into his arms for a hug. Of all of her grandchildren, of all of her family – this boy was her favorite. He had her Henry's smile and his heart and, sometimes she felt, a part of his soul. He didn't squeeze her nearly as tightly as he used to and it pained her that he too thought she was weak.

She stepped out of Cameron's arms and right into Teal'c's. For the first time since she'd been in the hospital, she was engulfed in a real hug. He pulled back first to look into her eyes. Warmth spread across his face, softening his features. "You are recovered, FrancesMitchell. I am glad."

"You and me both, young man," she smiled at him, tucked her left arm through his and smiled at her other guests. She had met the man when she had visited Cameron during his most recent hospital stay, but the woman was unknown to her. Frances reached her right hand out to the man, "Welcome to my home, Dr. Jackson. I'm so pleased you could be here."

"Thank you, ma'am. Please, it's Daniel. I'm sorry for barging in like this."

"Nonsense," Frances waved off his apology. "I was just thinking I could do with some noise around here. Come in, come in. I'll put the kettle on and round up something to nibble on. But Cameron, I know you were raised better than this, kindly introduce me to this lovely woman you brought to my home." She heard his frustrated sigh and the sound of a bag hitting the porch. In front of her, Daniel stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and dropped his chin to his chest. The woman just sauntered forward with a grin on her face.

"Hello, Madame. I am Vala Mal Doran. It's terribly rude of us to show up unannounced, but I felt I should tag along to keep these men in line. Who knows the sort of trouble they'd get into if I wasn't here to make sure we followed the straight and narrow," Vala said as she tossed one long braid over her shoulder. Behind her she dragged two suitcases. Frances looked at them - bright pink and plaid – and looked back at Vala. There was something about her that reminded Frances of a half-drowned kitten – ragged, spitting mad, and adorable.

Frances heard her grandson mumble another expletive under his breath and she made note to remind him he wasn't too big to be taken over her knee. In the mean time, she gestured towards one of the suitcases and asked Vala, "Shoes?"

A grin spread across Vala's face. "Of course."

Frances nodded and turned towards Cameron and said, "Be a dear and help Miss Vala with her bags. She can go in Jane's room for now. And when you boys are done behaving like the gentlemen I know you are, you may join us ladies in the parlor for tea and cookies. Come Miss Vala, a chill is in the air and we have tea to make and you must tell me all the juicy stories of what my Cameron has been up too lately."

She unlooped her arm from Teal'c's and reached for Vala's. As they walked up the steps of the porch, Frances reached up and slapped Cameron on the back of the head and said with humor lacing her words, "Now I know your momma raised you better than that, young man. Dropping in on an old lady in the middle of the night." The sound of one man apologizing and two men chuckling followed them through the door.

The next morning, Frances was up with the sun, even though she had been up later than normal visiting with her company. She put on a pot of coffee and opened the fridge to pull out eggs and milk for pancakes. She was out of maple syrup, so she grabbed a bag of frozen berries from the freezer and put them into a pot to simmer with a little sugar, lemon juice, and a splash of orange liqueur. As she cracked the eggs into the dry mixture, Frances said, "In or out, Cameron. And if you're in, make yourself useful and stir the sauce."

Her grandson wandered in and dropped a kiss onto the top of her head. He poured himself a cup of coffee and lowered the heat as the berries came to boil. They stood there working side by side, she stirring the pancake batter before mixing eggs for scrambling, he pulling apart bacon and sprinkling them with a little brown sugar. Minutes passed before she asked, "You gonna tell your granma why you came to visit? Not that I mind."

"Mom told me about the change of venue for Thanksgiving Dinner. Doesn't seem right."

"What's done is done. I could use the break, my dear."

Cam huffed out a breath in amusement. "You and Great Aunt Alice have hated each other for longer than I've been alive. Doubt she offered out of the goodness of her heart. Still, it doesn't seem right for you to be alone."

"Oh hush, child. I'm not alone. I'll be putting on my second…third best hat and will smile as Alice passes around those rolls that come out of a can. I also don't recall you being around these past few years. So spill," she said as she reached for the box grater and the pound of sharp cheddar from her fridge.

"Hand to god, Granma. We're a little bored with Sam off being a commander, and I knew you were probably itching for company and Teal'c wanted to see for himself that you're up and about. I figured I'd hit the market for provisions and we could make ourselves our own family dinner to fortify you for next week." Cameron said as he turned the burner on under an iron skillet. Frances nodded as she grated the cheese onto the cutting board. She stood quietly for a few moments, knowing that Cameron tended to fill empty space with the truth. She wasn't disappointed when he continued, "Sometimes nothing heals a heart like a visit home. Figured you wouldn't mind if I adopted this home for them."

Frances nodded. While sipping tea late into the night, she'd noticed that they all had an exhaustion of the soul. Perhaps she could have Cameron pick up some more of the good vanilla while he was at the store so she could make some cookies for them to take home. "Reckon that's a good plan. Best put the bacon on to wake your friends," she said as she poured the finished berry syrup into a pitcher.

Her grandson's friends came down one by one, led by Teal'c who took over the egg station, carefully folding them under and around before adding the cheese she had grated. Vala bounded down the steps in a way reminiscent of Christmas mornings. She stood behind the men, peering over their shoulders, offering nonsensical advice – again reminding Frances of a little drowned kitten. Daniel was the last to emerge from upstairs, sleep still in his eyes but looking more awake then he had when they had arrived.

They sat down to breakfast at her kitchen table – the one her Henry had promised would always be covered with plenty and surrounded by joy as he sanded the wood for the top. The chairs seemed to pull the pain from Cameron and his friends and send it back into the earth as they piled their plates high. Vala declared Frances the best cook in the whole universe, which made the boys grin into their coffee mugs. Frances accepted the compliment in the spirit in which was given, all the while feeling the cold ease from her body and from the bones of her house.


End file.
